Closure for collapsible tubes



y 1938- c. E. DENBOW ET AL CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE.TUBES Original Filed Oct. 14, 1935 ('Zarenceiffirzbow Ear? L Rees Patented July 12, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES illarence E. Denbow and Burt L. Rees, Columbus, Ohio Application October 14, 1935, Serial No. 44,866 Renewed DecemberZ, 1937 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved closure for collapsible tubes, particularly collapsible metallic tubes of the type which are employed as containers for dentifrice preparations, shaving soaps and the like, and the object of the inventhereof, the opening in the cap will separate to provide for such expulsion, but which upon termination of pressure to the tube will, by reason of the resilient material constituting the cap,

automatically assume a self-closing position, tothe end of protecting the contents of the tube from loss and deterioration and to overcome.

other objections inherent in the usual type of tube provided with a threaded removable cap..

It is another object of the invention to provide the resilient cap of the present invention with a pivoted locking member of non-resilient material, which is adapted to cooperate with the walls of the discharge'slit or opening formed in said cap to prevent the separation of such walls even upon the application of material expelling pressure to the associated collapsible tube, whereby to prevent loss of such material -and its escape from the tube by reason of accidental pressures applied thereto.

Another obiect of the invention resides in the provision of a cap which, while effective and efilcient in use, may be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Flg. l is a perspective view of a collapsible paste holding tube, provided with the closure cap made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view disclosing the pivoted iock of the cap in its inactive or releasing position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the outlet end of the tube and associated cap carried thereby;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the cap showing the pivoted lock inits active retaining position;

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the lock in its inactive or releasing position;

Fig. 6 is a top 'plan view of the tube with the cap or closure thereon;

Fig.7 is a side elevation of a tube with an unthreaded neck provided with a modified form of means for holding the cap in place;

Fig. 8 is a further modified form of tube neck.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the closure comprises a substantially semian internal chamber 2 which may or may not I be threaded for the reception of the exteriorly threaded reduced outlet neck 3 of a collapsible metallic tube 4. These tubes are widely used in commerce for retaining various toilet and other preparations in a substantially paste-like form and, inasmuch as the construction of the tube does not enter directly into the present invention, a further detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The lower walls of the chamber 2 may be internally threaded in order to surround and closely embrace the exteriorly threaded neck 3 or may merely frictionally engage with the same, as desired. The top of the body of the cap is provided with an elongated slot or slit 5 and the ,area of the engaging walls of said slot or slit is increased by the upstanding lips 6 which are integrally formed with the body I immediately adjacent to the slot or slit 5, therein.

The lower or inner edges of the slot or slit 5 are relieved as at I and are formed with rounded fillets so that when pressure is applied to the tube 4, the material which is expelled from the outlet of the neck 3 will be directed into the lower portion of the slot or slit 5 so that the latter will be widened and the walls thereof separated, against the inherent resiliency of the material comprising the cap, to providefor the discharge of such tube materials without requiring the removal of the cap. When the expelling pressure on the tube has been released, the walls of the slit 5 tend to contract or to come together so that said slit or opening will be automatically closed without requiring manual operation.

Frequently, collapsible tubes of this type are placed in traveling bags or other places where they may be subjected to'accidentally applied pressures which in the case of the present cap might result in the release or accidental discharge of the contents of the tube, since the slit or slot 5 will open whenever expelling pressure is applied to the contents of the tube.

To guard against this contingency, the cap or closure I has preferably integrally formed therewith aligned projections or pivoting studs 8. These studs receive a pivotally movable clamping member 9, the latter being of substantially locking member assumes the position disclosed.

' in Figs. 4 and 6, the side walls of the groove or slot Ii will frictionally engage with and pinch the outer walls of the lips 6, thereby firmly and The cap comprising the present invention thus I provides a member of resilient material which fits tightly over the top or neck of a collapsible tube. The slit or opening in the cap is of the self closingtype so that when pressure on the associated tube is removed, the slit or opening in the cap will be closed to preserve the contents of the tube. The said slit or opening may be either straight or or serrated form, depending upon the uses to which the contents of the tube are placed. The metallic locking member may 65 connected withsaid fulcrumsand conforming to be swung at will over the top of the cap and locks the opening or slit therein so that no leakage is possible even when the tube is under pressure. The slot II in the locking member may be, if desired, in the form or a groove in the under suri'ac'e of the locking member, thus enabling the thumb of the operator to be applied to the top of said locking member to efiect its'swinging actuation.

It will be apparent that various modifications may be made in the construction of the cap without departing from the spirit and scopeo! the invention as the latter has been defined in the following claims.

For instance, in Fig. 7, the neck 3a of the tube in is non-threaded and the cap is secured thereto by providing said neck with a plurality oi! prongs' curved annular shoulder 30 oi! greater diameter than the lower portion of the neck, and the cap is shaped to conform with this configuration so as to closely hug the sides of the neck and to resist displacement.

What is claimed is:

1. A closure for collapsible tubes comprisinga hollow body of substantially hemispherical form and adapted to be received upon the reducedoutlet neck 01' a collapsible tube, the upper end of said body being provided with a slit-like orifice normally closed by the resiliency of the material from which the cap is formed, arcuate lips integrally formed with said cap and projecting exteriorly thereof adjacent to said orifice, oppositely disposed fulcrums projecting outwardly from the lower portion of said cap, and a clamp pivotally the transverse curvature of the cap, said clamp being recessed so that when actively positioned, the walls or said recess closely engage with the outer walls'of said lips to retain said orifice in its closed state.

2. A closure for collapsible tubes, comprising a hollow dome-shaped body of resilient material, the open end of said body being receivable upon the reduced outletneck of a collapsible tube, the upper portion or said body being provided with a slit-like orifice normally closed by the inherent resiliency of the material from which the cap body is formed, arcuate parallel lips projecting oi'itwardly from the upper portion oi! said body immediately contiguous to said orifice, and a rigid substantially U-shaped clamp pivotally connected with the lower portion' of said cap body, the intermediate portion of said clamp being formed with an arcuate recess disposed, when said clamp ,is actively positioned, to engage with said lips to prevent separation of the walls of said orifice.

3. A closure comprising a substantially hollow \dome-shaped body receivable on the outlet neck of a collapsible tube, said body being provided with a slit-like orifice having resiliently separable sides capable of responding to content expelling pressure on the associated tube to extrude the tube contents from said orifice, reenforcing ribs formed at the top-oi said body and bounding said orifice, and a swinging clamp carried by sai'd body and conforming to its cross sectional configuration, the intermediate part or said clamp being formed with a recess having arcuate wiping engagement with the outer side walls of said ribs to prevent separation oi! the latter when said clamp occupies its active position.

4. A closure for collapsible tubes comprising an ,inverted cup-shaped resilient body provided with an arcuate .top wall, upstanding lips extending longitudinally of said arcuate top wall, said lips being separated by a slit, laterally extending members provided on said body adjacent the cen ter of the arc of said top wall, and an arcuate clamp pivotally mounted on said laterallyextending members, said clamp being recessed so that when actively positioned, the walls of said recess closely engage with'the outer walls of said lips to retain said slit in its closed state.

5. A closure for collapsible tubes comprising'an inverted cup-shaped resilientbody provided with a curved wall, upstandin'g'lips extending longitudinallyjo'i said curved .top wall, said lips being separated by aslit, laterally prpjecting members provided on said body at the center of the curve in said top walla clamp coniormingf-to the curve in said top wall pivotally mounted en said merally projecti members, said ';clamp being re-. cessed so that 2 of said recess cl ely engage with the outer walls oi! said. lips to retain said slit in its closed state} and a transversely extending upwardly projecting shoulder provided on said clamp adjacent one end [of said recess. Z

, 6., A closure for collapsible tubes comprising an inverted cup-shaped'body provided with an a'rcuate top wall, upstanding resilient lips extending longitudinally of said top wall, said'lips being separated by a slit, laterally extending projections provided on said body adjacent thecenter or the arc in said top wall, and an arcuate clamp pivotally carried by said projections for swinging movement over said body, said clamp being formed with a recess, the walls of which wipingly engage with the outer sides of said lips to exert a pinching force thereon to close said slit.

CLARENCE E. DENBOW. BURT L. REES.

en actively positioned, the walls 

